We just came back from a family camping trip. We enjoyed the clean mountain air, cool streams, the shade of the pine trees and a gentle night breeze. Camping is rather relaxing and a good way to get away…. that is UNTIL, you need to use the toilet. Now boys are pretty lucky if they need to pee, all they need to do is “find a tree” and make sure no one is looking. Girls on the other hand, we have to become talented gymnast able to balance while we “squat and hide” and try our best not to pee down our own leg. Or all over our pants because you dont lean back far enough (not that I have ever done that…lol) OR you lean back too far and fall backwards and land in all your naked glory… and pray you don’t land on a stick or a pinecone.

When it comes to “pooping” boys and girls are both forced to hide and do the caveman squat. Yes I just said the “p” word, whether you want to admit it or not we as humans ALL do it :). This predicament is what lead me to make my own portable toilet. When camping out in the middle of NO WHERE 2 hours away from the nearest town this little contraption is simply amazing ( and comfortable I might add).

To make this all you need is a POOL NOODLE and a 5 gallon bucket. You can find pool noodles at most stores, even the dollar store. The cheaper ones are not as firm and are easier to work with. Home Depot or Lowes sells the 5 gallon buckets for about $3 so that is a great place to buy them. Take a utility knife and slice the pool noodle open all the way down one side. If you want the ends to come together without a gap you will need to cut them at a 45% angle. You can now push this onto the lip of the bucket to form a seat. We wanted ours to stay on really good so we used Gorilla Glue Epoxy to set it into place.

You can slide a kitchen trash bag over it for easy clean up and removal. Or you can use a Reciprocating Saw and cut the bottom out of the bucket and use it over a hole in the ground, don’t forget your shovel. Now you know how to make your own personal toilet…. hurry and go mark it of your ” life bucket list” because I am sure it was on there, lol.